1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a transmission apparatus and method, a recording apparatus and method, and a program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a transmission apparatus and method, a recording apparatus and method and a program wherein an SD Proxy signal and an HD Proxy signal are handled in a common format with a suppressed circuit scale.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical disk recording and reproduction apparatus used in broadcasting stations and so forth in recent years handle a baseband signal complying with a standard of the related art as an original signal of a content obtained by image pickup. The standard of the related art is a standard of Standard Definition Television such as the NTSC (National Television System Committee) system against a standard of High-Definition Television which has appeared in recent years. It is to be noted that such a baseband signal as mentioned above is hereinafter referred to as SD signal.
In this instance, an optical disk of the related art recording and reproduction apparatus can compression encode an SD signal which is an original signal of a content, for example, in accordance with an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) system and record a signal obtained as a result of the compression encoding on an optical disk. Such a signal obtained as a result of compression encoding as just mentioned is hereinafter referred to as SD main line image signal. Further, the optical disk recording and reproduction apparatus of the related art can reproduce an SD main line image signal recorded on an optical disk, that is, read out and decompression decode the SD main line image signal, and output an SD signal obtained as a result of the decompression decoding.
Further, some optical disk recording and reproduction apparatus of the related art can handle, as an object of recording and reproduction on and from an optical disk, not only an SD main line image signal of a predetermined content but also a Proxy signal regarding the predetermined content. One of such optical disk recording and reproduction apparatus is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Published Application No. 2004/0148551.
The Proxy signal is a generic term of signals which are utilized as a representative of an SD main line image signal when editing of a content is performed and are produced so that, for example, simple and easy editing can be performed.
For example, a signal produced so as to have a reduced image size when compared with an SD main line image signal is a type of a Proxy signal. A Proxy signal of this type has a characteristic that it has a smaller data amount when compared with an SD main line image signal and allows simple and easy editing due to this characteristic. It is to be noted that a Proxy signal of the type described is hereinafter referred to as image size reduction type Proxy signal.
A signal obtained as a result of an encoding process performed for an SD signal in a unit of a GOP (Group Of Picture) is an SD main line image signal, and also a signal obtained as a result of an encoding process performed for an SD signal in a unit of a frame is a type of a Proxy signal. The encoding process in a unit of a frame here is a process of encoding, for all frames which form an SD signal, a frame making use of the frame itself, that is, a process of encoding each frame without making use of any other frame such as a preceding or succeeding frame. The encoding process in a unit of a frame here is sometimes referred to as intra-frame compression. Accordingly, where an SD main line image signal is handled, in order to decode a P picture or a B picture other than an I picture, another frame included in a corresponding GOP is essentially required. In contrast, a Proxy signal obtained by intra-frame compression has a characteristic that any frame thereof can be decoded with the frame itself similarly to an I picture, that is, the Proxy signal can be decoded in a unit of a frame. The Proxy signal of the type described allows simple and easy editing due to the characteristic just described. It is to be noted that the Proxy signal of the type described is hereinafter referred to as intra compression type Proxy signal.
Further, in recent years, the tendency to try to record and reproduce also a baseband signal complying with the standard of High-Definition Television described hereinabove as an original signal of a content obtained by image pickup on and from an optical disk has become intensified. It is to be noted that such a baseband signal as mentioned above is hereinafter referred to as HD signal.
As a result, a demand to utilize an HD Proxy signal in addition to a popular SD Proxy signal has been and is increasing in recent years.